Synopses & Reviews
Quiet as the grave, the village of Fawcett Green is no place for a vacantly pretty, vividly blonde, and terribly bored young wife. So when Simone Hollingsworth misses bell-ringing practice-her latest effort to find something to do-no one is surprised. In fact, if old Mrs. Moffet, her neighbor, didn't eventually report her disappearance to Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby, the fact that Simone had vanished might have gone unrecorded.
But even Barnaby isn't concerned-until a body is found.
Soon Inspector Barnaby is uncovering the passionate entanglements beneath the placid surface of Fawcett Green-and perhaps making the worst mistake of his career. Now, if he misconstrues the clue buried in Simone's garden-and a subtlety of human behavior his experienced eye should spot-a wicked killer may go free...
HIGH PRAISE FOR CAROLINE GRAHAM AND FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH
"Inspector Tom Barnaby, the resident copper in this series, applies his logical mind to the many false clues in this cunning case, but it takes all his acquired insights into human psychology to distinguish the killer from all the other cuckoo characters who live and thrive in the mad, mad world of Fawcett Green."
(The New York Times Book Review)
"Intricate and shocking...The conclusion of this excellent novel is truly surprising-plausible and satisfying.... Lovers of British mysteries who haven't yet sampled Graham's work will find this an excellent place to start." (Booklist)
"Graham makes her characters humanly believable in her witty and tragic novel, a real winner... An uncommonly appealing novel." (Publishers Weekly)
"A rewarding entry in the British police genre featuring reflective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby...Graham writes in an old-fashioned way with leisurely grace, ironic wit, real-seeming characters, ongoing suspense, and a corker of a plot. The result: top-flight entertainment." (Kirkus Reviews)
"Graham expertly balances low-key style of detection with a rich variety of disparate characters." (San Francisco Chronicle)
"Fawcett Green: an ideal setting for a comfortable English cozy, you'd think. For only about a page or so, until Caroline Graham's incisive, almost savage take on village quaintness opens your eyes. And then come the surprises." (Philadelphia Inquirer)
"Fans of English writer Caroline Graham's Chief Inspector Barnaby mysteries will want to queue up to read FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH. Graham's dry wit is on full display in this seemingly cozy tale." (Orlando Sentinel)
"Great stuff for British procedural fans." (Library Journal)
"Terrific...with an ingenious plot and excellent characters and characterizations."
(The Guardian - UK)
"Caroline Graham's latest Inspector Barnaby novel is one to savor."
(Manchester Evening News - UK)
"Graham is probably the most underrated British crime writer. Her talent is rare, combining wit, pathos, and an entertaining narrative. Here she takes the 'mayhem parva' so beloved by Christie fans and weaves her own magic into it. Brilliant."
(Yorkshire Post - UK)
"Her books are not just great whodunnits but great novels in their own right."
(The Sunday Times of London)
Review
"Barnaby applies his logical mind to the many false clues in this cunning case, but it takes all his acquired insights into human psychology to distinguish the killer from all the other cuckoo characters who live and thrive in the mad, mad world of Fawcett Green." --
The New York Times Book Review"Simply the best detective writer since Agatha Christie." --The Sunday Times of London
"Satisfies on every level: wicked humor, intricate plotting, and razor-sharp characterizations." --Philadelphia Inquirer
Synopsis
When bored young housewife Simone Hollingsworth misses bell-ringing practice-her latest effort to find something to do-no one is surprised. In fact, if old Mrs. Molfrey, her neighbor, didn't report it to Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby, Simone's disappearance might have gone unrecorded in Fawcett Green. But ever Barnaby isn't concerned-until a body is found.
Soon Barnaby is uncovering the passionate entanglements beneath the placid surface of Fawcett Green-and perhaps jeopardizing his career. Now, if he misconstrues the clue buried in Simone's garden-and a subtlety of human behavior his experienced eye should spot-a brutal killer may go free...
About the Author
Caroline Graham lives in Suffolk, England. She has an M.A. in writing for the theater and has written several plays for both radio and theater, as well as the Chief Inspector Barnaby novels, which have been adapted for television..